What it's about: Mokhtar Alkhanshali grew up in San Francisco's notorious Tenderloin district, lived with his grandparents in Yemen as a teen, and later moved back to the U.S. to pursue a career importing Yemeni coffee. Then, a 2015 civil war left Mokhtar stranded in Yemen, trying to get home via any path he could.

What it's about:Anna Fox, agoraphobic and alcoholic (which doesn't mix well with her medications), likes to sit by the window and spy on her neighbors. When she witnesses what looks like a murder, no one will take her seriously. In fact, they claim the victim doesn't even exist.

Narration: Ann Marie Lee believably portrays Anna's descent into paranoia, modulating the pace and pitch of her voice to heighten the tension.

What it's about:Whistleblower Alice Russell disappears while on a corporate retreat with four other women in the Australian Bush. Federal agents Aaron Falk and Carmen Cooper, who were working with her on a money laundering case, uncover plenty of possible suspects, including a serial killer's son.

Narration: Stephen Shanahan's Australian accent is perfectly suited to the setting of this intriguing whodunit.

What it is:a collection of essays from novelist Zadie Smith, on topics ranging from social media and British politics to pop culture and American race relations. She also writes about books, paintings, and people (like singer Billie Holliday, comedy duo Key and Peele, and author J.G. Ballard).

What it's about: Raised in a fundamentalist Mormon family who prepped for the "end of days," Tara Westover grew up without a formal education. Hungering for knowledge, she began educating herself, eventually pursuing an academic career at Harvard and Cambridge.